The Veyron’s time of 431.072km/h was struck from the record books because the company had modified the car by removing the speed limiter.

The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse reached its maximum speed during a run at the Volkswagen Group’s Ehra-Lessien proving grounds. Chinese racing driver Anthony Liu was at the wheel.

Liu said: ‘‘This was a very exciting moment. In our training sessions we exceeded 400km/h but the fact that I could surpass this unbelievable speed once again and even higher has made me very proud. The car is even at such high speeds incredibly comfortable and stable. With an open top, you can really experience the sound of the engine and yet even at higher speeds I did not get compromised by the wind at all.”

But the top speed won’t go into the Guiness World Records because there were no officials from the body at the test.

Instead, the speed was verified by the German Technical Inspection and Certification Association, or TÜV. In a pointed reference to the Guinness World Records controversy, Bugatti mentioned in its official press release that the original 431km/h time set by the Veyron had also been witnessed by TUV, which it called a ‘‘renowned independent German orgainsation’’.

The Vitesse is powered by an 8.0-litre W16 engine that produces 895kW and 1500Nm of torque.

In order to keep the wind at bay in the cabin, the car has a special roof spoiler and windbreak.

In a statement following the latest world record run, the president of Bugatti, Dr Wolfgang Schrieber said: ‘‘When we introduced the Vitesse, we established the top speed for open-top driving to be 375 km/h. Still, we could not let go of the idea of reaching the 400 km/h mark with this car as well. The fact that we have succeeded in reaching 408.84 km/h is a thrill for me, and it reaffirms once again that Bugatti is the leader when it comes to technology in the international automotive industry.”

The record-breaking car will be displayed at the upcoming Shanghai motor show, where Bugatti will also release a limited ‘‘world record’’ edition of the Veyron. Only eight of the cars, painted in the striking orange and black colour scheme of the record-breaking car, will be built, at a cost of 1.99 million euros. That translates to $2.47 million, but by the time one reached Australian shores it would cost the owner well in excess of $4 million.